STORM PETREL

STORM PETREL

A new fuel-efficient aluminum boat that’s built to handle heavy loads of scientific equipment is helping researchers understand the future of the world’s oceans. The 50-foot aluminum catamaran Storm Petrel is a platform for studying ocean acidification and other changes on the wild shores of Washington state, a place teeming with whales and other sea life.  Nic de Waal, managing director of…
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Tackling the fishing gear problem

Beyond collisions with ships, whales inhabiting the waters of North America are vulnerable to injury or death from another human-related threat: fishing gear entanglement. Research conducted by the New England Aquarium and the Center for Coastal Studies showed that scars found on 83 percent of endangered North Atlantic right whales and about half of endangered humpbacks between Cape Cod and…
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New technology aims to help mariners save the whales

New technology aims to help mariners save the whales

While humans once stood in awe of the size and strength of whales, the roles have been nearly reversed since the mid-20th century as increasing ship traffic has added insult to the injury done by the era of whaling. To reverse the trend, marine scientists, environmental advocates and sympathizers in the nautical community are trying to harness technology to protect…
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